A STAR IS BORN -- AND SHINES -- IN DEERFIELD

There's a youngster among the more established builders in Broward, Dade and Palm Beach counties. And it is proud enough of its work to let its latest development bear part of its name.

Five Star Homes, a wholly owned subsidiary of Miami-headquartered General Development Corporation, is responsible for Starlight Cove.

Although its parent company is one of the oldest and largest developers of planned communities in Florida, Five Star is a youngster because it was established in 1981.

"Five Star Homes is presently building and marketing in six different areas and is beginning to build momentum," said Stuart Wyllie, senior vice president/commercial, and chief operating office of Five Star.

For a youngster, though, it already has scored some notable achievements including its highly successful Starlight Cove single-family home community in Deerfield Beach.

"Starlight Cove has been one of our most successful developments," Wyllie said. "We've closed on about 150 homes there so far, with 54 of those closings posted in the first seven months of this year."

In fact, out of a total of 324 lots, fewer than 100 remain to be sold in the community north of Hillsboro Boulevard, just west of Powerline Road.

Seven home designs priced from $98,990 to $126,600 are on display at Starlight Cove's model center. They're mostly three-bedroom residences offering from 1,476 to 2,111 square feet of living area.

The Mediterranean style of architecture is seen in the barrel tile roofs, archways, and aluminum fencing with gates that provide access to landscaped entrance courtyards.

Models at Starlight Cove include the Egret, a two-bedroom, two-bath home with den or a third bedroom, plus a one-car garage, priced at $98,990; the three- bedroom, two-bath Flamingo, selling for $103,900, with one-car garage, and $107,050 with two-car garage; the Sandpiper, a three-bedroom, two-bath design with two-car garage, $108,500.

Other designs include the Jacaranda, another three-bedroom, two-bath home with two-car garage, $111,900; the three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath Laguna, available with either one- or two-car garage, at prices of $113,500 and $115,650; the Hummingbird, with three bedrooms, 1/2 baths and two-car garage, $119,990; and the Essex, in three- and four-bedroom versions, with two-car garage, priced at $124,500.

Starlight Cove, Wyllie points out, has many more positive points than a wide range of attractive floor plans.

The community not only sits along the Hillsboro River, where boating and fishing are available, but it's adjacent to Edith Weiner Hack Park, offering such amenities as tennis courts, river docks, playground and picnic pavilions.

An existing shopping center is within walking distance of the community, while the new Deerfield Mall, which will include a Zayre department store, Publix, Marshall's store, Walgreens, and a movie complex, is under construction on the southwest corner of Hillsboro Boulevard and Powerline Road, just to the south of Starlight Cove.

Starlight Cove is not Five Star's first venture in Broward County. The company built Camelot Village across from Bonaventure for 176 families.

In the Boca Raton area, Five Star built Tudor Woods, with 210 single-family homes. In Dade County, its accomplishments include the Mediterranean townhomes of Briar Bay and the single-family homes of Juniper at The Hammocks.

Wyllie said, "Five Star Homes would like to do something similar to Starlight Cove in the area, and is presently looking for additional land in Broward and Palm Beach counties."

The Five Star executive noted that there's an increased commitment by General Development to this line of business, and "we have every intention of expanding our primary housing program substantially in the future."

"Five Star Homes started out gradually, but has been picking up momentum as it goes along," he pointed out. "The company has actually closed on 648 homes from its inception up through 1986, and it looks like we'll close on another 200 homes this year."

Starlight Cove, however, is but one of several areas in which Five Star is presently active.

In the Jacksonville area, Five Star is building single-family homes in a community called Julington Creek. These homes range in price from $86,490 to $118,990, and offer both three- and four-bedroom floor plans.

In the Tampa area, Five Star is building in the Bloomington country club area outside Brandon. Its homes there range from $79,900 to $126,600.

"Five Star is just starting a community called Hidden Glen at Suntree near Melbourne, where homes range from $67,450 to $82,400," Wyllie said. "We're also getting active in the General Development communities of Port St. Lucie and Port Charlotte."

In addition to its existing projects, Five Star is considering going into the Orlando area.

Five Star Homes is headquartered at 1111 S. Bayshore Drive, Miami, in the same building as its parent company, General Development Corporation.